Don’t Be a Gamer, Be More

Austin B. Conway at The Koalition writes: Here, at the beginning, something needs to be confessed; I never really cared for the term “Gamer.” Honestly, it never fit well with me and the more I thought about it the more asinine I found its use. Film fans don’t call themselves “Movie-ers” and people who read a fair share of novels don’t refer to themselves as “Bookers” either.

Of course, I do not want to portray myself as someone who needs to distance themselves from the medium. Someone who loves “video games” aren’t necessarily a social pariah; hell, Steven Spielberg loves games and has been playing them since the 1970’s but he doesn’t go around declaring himself a “Gamer.” I love the interactive medium, I always have and I always will.

I just play games I enjoy, I don't see why people keep trying to label me and the rest of us. Nor do I care what they decide to call me/us. I'll just keep playing the games I like while the next big controversy blows over

Star Trek enthusiasts felt that the term Trekkies had too many negative connotations of being nerdy, so they swapped it for the new term - Trekkers! You can swap a label with another label, but it makes no difference because the thing that's being described is the same.

Like I said in my editorial, being a gamer is a beautiful thing. Many people's lives have been enriched and made better because of video games. My life certainly has. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing that as a badge of pride.

Are there gamers that make us look bad? Of course. This is how society is. However, we shouldn't let the few speak for the majority. Gamers belong to one of the best communities out there. A community that celebrates creativity and that embraces people from all walks of life.

I love this attitude. :) (even if I personally am neither here nor there on the labelling issue.. It's not something I overly identify as - but I appreciate that a lot of people do - and good for them!)

I think I'm with you there. Lets just do what we can to elevate the term so that nobody will feel embarrassed or scared to use the label themselves.

It's more about taking the term back from the people who fit the negative stereotypes, and away from the publishers and ad companies who helped paint the label into that corner in the first place. They need to show more maturity and respect and so do we - as a group.

Its not like the typical Gamer goes out and tells everyone "I'm a gamer, I'm better than you!". The video mentioned many good points that apply to any community, for example to treat others with respect... that isn't a new concept, however, and though there are some black sheep amongst us gamers, that again is true for any community.

Everyone one was happy to be called a gamer up until now. some of you so called journalist (and I use the term loosely) are such hypocrites

and I quote

"Here, at the beginning, something needs to be confessed; I never really cared for the term “Gamer.” Honestly, it never fit well with me and the more I thought about it the more asinine I found its use"

only until recently with all the recent news did you have the balls to come out and claim you didn't like the term. you all are nothing but trend hopping parasites who jump on the next bandwagon just to be part of what's "recent"

give it a rest will you as the next "trend" is round the corner for you to go hop on

I am a gamer nothing you ever say will change that. when I call myself a gamer I and most know what we mean by that, we don't need you trying to tell us your understanding of the term

You don't want that label? That's your choice. I'll take it. As well as writer, reader (film fans are often called buffs, book lovers are avid readers; that stolen analogy was stupid the first time I heard it, and it's stupid now). I'm a student, uncle, son, friend, friend with benefits, coworker... I'm a lot of things that have labels.

I'm also more than those things. Including smart and confident enough to not let someone else's ignorance affect how I define or identify myself.